Contrition
by ExpendableVoice
Summary: A soul is cast into the world of Auldrant, bearing nothing but fragmented memories of its previous life. There, spurred by circumstance, the soul is forced to take the life of a youth condemned by the Score. Now, he has no choice but to live that life, in order to find out where he came from... how he ended up here. Written for NaNoWriMo 2016. Self-Insert, First Person Perspective.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

* * *

 _"N.D. 2002. The One Who Would Seize Glory shall destroy the land upon which he was born. A land by the name of Hod. War shall thereafter persist between Kimlasca and Malkuth for a full cycle of seasons."  
_  
The words echoed out, their meaning filled with a dreaded tone of finality as it pierced through air. Or was it through me? It each syllable quaked with an unseen power, and my mind quaked alongside it, as a burning pain seared itself into my awareness. At that moment, questions finally rose up, my mind coming to life as the words filled my very being. Where was I? Who's voice is that? And why did every word _hurt_?

But questions went unanswered, and the voice continued on, droning out with mechanical clarity. Whatever that meant.

 _"This war shall be marked by a deluge, born from Hod's loss and demise. The tides shall sweep through the doomed islands, casting aside both people and land. The Sister of Hod, an Island of the name Feres, will bear the brunt of this death, weeping for its brother amidst the tide. Her people shall weep with her, and be lost to the sea."  
_  
At those words, a sound filled the air. Or perhaps, it was always there, and I only noticed it just now. Regardless, I turned to its source, my mind mixed with confusion and panic as I did so. Rather than answers, all I had found was a distant shadow, looming over the horizon.

More questions filled my mind, adding to the earlier list as I took in the sight. What was that sound? What's that shadow? Why was it night? And as before, they went unanswered, words and pain resonating as one as the voice spoke again.

 _"Gardios. Fende. Though some families will survive, it is only the seeds of these two houses that shall continue their name. Lost forevermore shall be the houses of Tithas and Remaldis, of Kvento and Calus. And of countless more. Lost shall be their masters and mistresses, servants and scions, consumed by a maelstrom born from ambition."  
_  
The voice belonged to an old man. I wasn't quite sure how I hadn't noticed it earlier, but as he spoke those final words, the age in his voice finally took hold. And more than that, I could hear _where_ that voice had echoed out from. My vision shifted as I turned to the source.

There, collapsed on the ground, was an elder man draped in silken cloth. His robe was plain, bearing few markings as black and gold weavings ran along the hem of the fabric. Really, the only distinct feature was a strange red symbol that stood at the center of his clothes. It must've had some significance to the man, as he gradually brought a wrinkled hand up to his chest, clutching it tightly as he wore a grimace on his face, all while his attention turned skyward. Ceilingward. That's a ceiling.

"... I'm sorry, child."

He spoke once again, but unlike last time, his words weren't accompanied by searing pain. Instead, the only thing carried by his voice was regret, his words hitching slightly as he took in a deep breath, before turning his gaze down to the child beside him.

That's when I noticed that there was a child beside him.

Or rather, there was a child sprawled on the ground beside him. The child himself was dressed in an overly-lavish set of clothes. Royal blue fabric, gold trim, an embroidered emblem of some kind... The boy looked every part a fancy noble, besides his ... eyes. An odd thing to notice, I guess, but it was hard to ignore the look of surprise on the child's face, his blue eyes wide alarm as he peered up at the old man. The child's face was... curious, almost ignorant, and it was clear that the child had no clue what the man was talking about.

Which was in stark contrast to the grim expression on the old man's face. He winced, forcing himself not to frown, his aged features still as he stared down at the boy. "You asked me where your family was, but those words were all I could provide. Your family asked me to keep you safe, but this... this was all I could do."

Recognition flashed in the child's eyes, hearing the familiar words, crawling up to his feet as he made his way over to the man. Part of me wanted to ask why the kid was on the ground in the first place, but that question was halted entirely as the man's voice suddenly shouted out.

"Stop!" In one loud cry, he interrupted the child's actions, barking sharply at the kid before tightening his grip on his chest. And the child stopped, despite his panicked worries, the young boy anxious as he stared up at the man. The elderly man seemed to relax at that, his face softening as he stared at the child. "It's dangerous. You could... you could get hurt."

The man heaved as he spoke, one hand gesturing around them as his words bled out. My eyes followed his actions, and that's when I finally realized that we were inside some sort of building. Or at the very least, the ruins of one. Debris and rubble was strewn across the ground, and that ceiling I had noticed earlier was partially collapsed, as tiles and wooden beams broke away to a cloudy night sky. The floor was half-flooded, with bits of stone and wood drifting aimlessly, littering the ground with sharp hazards. With all that said and done, the man wasn't entirely wrong; a child fumbling around here was probably dangerous.

Still... why was the child on the floor in the first place? Even now, I could see where the kid had been laying, and it was clear by the scattered debris that he had been thrown there, rather than asked to quietly lay down. Why did-

Another sharp cry echoed from the man, drawing both the attention of the child and myself. The child gave a worried gasp, and my own eyes widened in realization. That symbol I had noticed earlier, the one in his robes? That... wasn't a symbol. It was a broken end of a wooden support, sharpened and bloodied as it pierced through the man's chest. His hadn't brought up his hand because of any sentimental reason, but because he had wanted to hide it from the child... But blood flows, and the man couldn't hide crimson pigment as it bled into his cloak.

"A-are...?" The child tried to speak, his voice carrying his age as he stumbled through the words. He couldn't voice more than that, his face twisting into a worried frown as he stared at the robed man.

"Don't worry. I'm okay. I'm okay." The man repeated his words, his voice growing more firm as he did so. It was clear that he wasn't, at least to me, but the child seemed to reluctantly accept his words. Gradually, the man straightened himself, willed himself to settle down as he turned his eyes upwards once more. Quietly, he muttered into the air, the words lost to the child. "I need to be, at least for this..."

The air began to well up, a sensation that was... similar to the burning words from earlier, but far more comforting. Rather than pain, a dull haze began to gather at the edge of my senses, a fog that grew more dense with each passing moment. The man was doing _something_ , and I could clearly feel the results of his actions as a cool chill condensed. Yet, I had no clue what was going on, and the man's words carried no answers.

"...Even if it's absolute, am I able to change something as small as this?" I had no clue what he was talking about, and the child didn't seem to hear the man's mutterings. The meaning behind his actions were lost... but it didn't matter. Whether I understood it or not, his actions occurred all the same, and a purple fog began to surround the room.

"Oh melody which beckons towards the abyss..." The feeling of power intensified, and that cold feel bled into the air. The fog flickered, and the water contained within seemed to pulse at his words. "Wash us in the embrace of darkness..."

Okay, the words were a bit unconventional. And the sight of an old, bloodied man fervently muttering them honestly caused more questions than they-

 _"Tue rei ze croa riou tue ze."  
_  
I froze. Not because I recognized the words, but because I recognized... You know how people say that music is closely connected with memories? Well, now I understand why. As the man muttered those words, a haunting melody bound them together, resonating out with the air as a wave of burden grew from the fog. But I didn't pay attention to that in the slightest, because I recognized that melody.

In an instant, I understood the meaning of that song. Well, no, that's not right. I just recognized it for what it was. The words, the tune... this was the first verse of the Grand Fonic Hymn; memorable, not because just of its melody, but because of its purpose. It was a song, _the song_ , that unified one of the major themes in a video game I knew all too well.

I stood in stunned silence, my eyes turning back to the man as I appraised him with renewed knowledge. He was... he was a priest of Daath wasn't he? The main religious faction in the game? More to the point, he sang that song, which mean that he was related to the... The what? My mind came to a blank as I struggled to remember. There was something important, something key that unified the game's plot. I wasn't quite sure what it was yet, nor was I even sure why I was so focused on trying to remember, but-

"I see." The man's voice rose up again, and pulled my attention away from my thoughts. His eyes were focused on the child from before, half-lidded as he muttered to the empty air. "So, it truly is absolute."

The child stared back, eyes confused as he watched the elder.

"At the very least, I had hoped to spare you from... This was all because..." His voice began to fade, even as concern rose up in the child. This time, the young boy rose to his feet, making his way over to the elderly man. The priest, for his part, struggled against himself, his face wincing uneasily as his words wavered between regret and fatigue. "Spare you from... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

He wept. Tears formed on the man's face, his voice barely audible as he forced himself to look at the child. But just as quickly as his tears came, they left. A tiny hand brought itself to the priest's head, the child clumsily patting the man's hair as he wore a hesitant smile. Was the child trying to calm the man? It was... usually the other way around. Either way, the gesture was enough to resonate with the man, and gradually, the priest's mouth curled into a bittersweet smile of his own, even as drained from his face.

"... Thank you. I see now why your mother named you... Why the Score named you..."

My attention fell squarely on the old man. _That_ was a word I recognized, even if I couldn't understand why. I turned to him, waiting for him to speak, to explain more of whatever the Score was to the child... But nothing came. The man didn't speak, and the boy didn't ask. Instead, the child merely tilted his head to the side, simple confusion on his face. And in return, the priest brought his one shaking hand onto the child's head, ruffling the boy's hair even as strength began to drain from his arms.

"It's all for prosperity... It's all for prosperity..." The man's voice was growing quieter now, his eyes glazing over as he stopped focusing on the child. Instead, the priest peered beyond child, fixed on the wall behind them as he muttered that mantra. Yet, even I could feel the doubt in his voice, his eyes closing solemnly as he began to speak... something else. The air flickered to life, a sensation I immediately recognized as a burning pain began to pour into my mind. He was speaking again, speaking the same way he did the first time I heard him.

" _N.D. 2002. On the broken island shall the final moments of the last child of the House Lephis. The One That Holds Compassion... will..._ will..." The man's voice trailed off, losing itself to darkness.

But even as his voice faded away, that searing pain did not recede. Instead, _another voice_ echoed in my mind, this one younger and more feminine than the one that belonged to the man. And this voice burned ever brighter, blotting out the rest of my nerves as I struggled against the piercing pain, my eyes and mind threatening to split apart.

 _"The One That Holds Compassion will be cast into darkness, alone and afraid. The darkness shall howl, and a great beast of terrible power will make itself known. The beast will find him, and though he will cry out for help, naught but the abyss shall be his end."  
_  
The voice faded. The regret within faded along with it. Light and fire ebbed away, and my mind gradually began to settle down. Slowly, parts of my mind came to life, and I remembered what words meant. I remembered how to think, what thinking actually meant, and forced myself to bear through pain. I remembered that I could see, and my eyes finally opened, no longer shut to oblivion as I settled my the sight of the elderly priest. He silent and still. No longer breathing.

The child didn't seem to understand. Couldn't seem to understand. His earlier smile faded away as his brow furrowed upwards in worry. The boy gave the man a gentle push, trying to get the priest's attention, his motions subtle at first, before growing more and more panicked as he tried to shake the man awake. But the man did not awaken.

Instead, a baleful howl pierced through the air.

* * *

The Score.

The Score, the Score, the Score... I finally remembered what it was.

And more importantly, I finally remembered what it represented. Many things in life dealt with the struggle between fate and self-determination, whether it was an ancient myth, a vocal philosopher, or a religious dogma. And while Tales of the Abyss was none of these things-it was just a simple, enjoyable JRPG game-it too had chosen to address that topic.

The Score was destiny made manifest, at least in the context of the game. The world religion advocated it, the people of the world followed it, and the events it detailed followed the people. It was... It was a self-fulfilling prophecy, I believe, and a thematic discussion on the true nature of making choices. But, in spite of that, it was not wrong. The reason why people followed it is because the events it portrayed were always spoken with an inescapable clarity, and so long as people followed that Score, it would never be wrong.

Until the events of the game, where Villain... the villain... He did something. But what?

Whatever. That's not important. What's important is that, even if it was just _a_ prophecy, it was still a _prophecy_ , and that meant that whatever had howled earlier will eventually make its way over here. My attention focus turned away from the fallen priest and sullen child, shifting instead to the direction where the sound had come from. It was there that I saw a massive hole in the wall, where part of the building had completely collapsed, exposing the room to the raging elements.

And while I was no Engineer I still understood the consequences of having a massive hole in the wall, at least when it came to shelter and stability.

Regardless, if I wanted to help the kid, the first order of business would've been to block off that hole. And I definitely want to help the kid, because leaving a child to die is morally wrong. Without another word, I took a step forward, making my way ove-

I stopped. Not because there was something in my way, but because _I couldn't feel the ground_. The moment I realized that, my gaze turned downwards, as I tried to figure out why my feet hadn't landed on anything solid, as well as why I hadn't fallen over as a result. Rather than anything sensible however, all I found was emptiness. And by that, I mean that I had found myself staring at nothing where my feet and legs should've been.

Immediately, I turned my attention to the rest of my body. No torso. No chest. I brought an arm up, or at least tried to, only to find myself staring at nothing again. No hands, no fingers... Yet, despite the lack of a physical body, I still felt like I _had_ a body. I think? I mean, I could still turn my head, and my eyes still... blinked...

No. No I couldn't, and no they didn't. I was just unconsciously fulfilling in for those actions: I didn't turn my head, my attention just shifted away from one part of my environment to another; I didn't blink my eyes, I just stopped _seeing_ for a bit.

I had no idea what this meant. I turned back to the child, wondering if perhaps he could provide some answers. Of course, that's a stupid thought, since the child himself was probably only 5 years old or something like that. More importantly, the child was still shaking the old man's body, trying to get him to wake up.

I tried to speak out, to tell the boy to leave him, but I could not speak. I ran over to the child and tried to pull him away, but I could not grab him. I tried to look around, to see if there was anyone else who could help the two, but I found nothing.

Instead, I was forced to sit and watch as the child continued with his actions in vain. He kept trying to wake the corpse, and corpse refused to budge. Rain fell, descending through the hole in the ceiling, splattering on the child and the body as blood seeped out into the waters.

The child didn't give up. Instead, he leaned down and tried to pick up the man. He didn't succeed, of course, since he was just a kid, but he made the gestures all the same. Pull, tug, drag, only to stop when he realized that the body was moving him more than he was moving the body. Then he'd readjust the man's robes, stare blankly at the blood for a few moments, before trying to move the man again. It was a futility that had lasted for five minutes. It would've gone on for longer, but...

Another howl filled the room. This time, the source was far closer, and both the boy and myself turned to the source.

There, perched on the ruins of a shattered wall, was large wolf creature. I wasn't quite sure what it was _exactly_ , but I still remembered enough about the game to know that it had monsters. And since the wolf creature wasn't wearing a search-and-rescue vest, I'm all but certain this was a monster.

"H-...ah... Ah! Help!"  
 _Don't shout!_

The child's voice rose up in panic, screaming to the air as he frantically searched around. The sudden cry was piercing, and immediately drew a response from the wolf monster, as it crouched downwards on all fours, baring its fangs at the young boy. Unfortunately, the child didn't notice the warning, his voice rising louder as he continued to yell. Damnit kid, do you seriously have no survival instinct? Why the hell were you screaming your head off when th-

I finally realized _what_ the child was yell. More than that, I saw the panic in the child's voice as he shouted towards the corpse, his efforts redoubled as he tried to pull up the dead man. Every so often, he'd scream for help, but the words that truly carried the most force behind them were not cries for help, but...

" ** _Up!_** You haf get up! Please!"  
 _Leave him!_

It was heartwrenching to watch. It was clear that the child knew he was in danger, since he kept fearfully looking at the wolf... But rather than try to run, the boy stood his ground, his body shaking in fear even as he shouted out for help, all while he continued to vainly pull at the corpse's sleeve.

I had to do something... but what? The child ignored my words no matter how loudly I yelled, and it wasn't like I could fight off the wolf, either.

... Could I?

I had no body, but it still _felt_ like I had arms. And just because my words didn't reach the child didn't necessarily mean that I couldn't interact with the rest of the world. I had doubted my words from the start, but this sensation... I clenched my unseen fists. Slow, I began to search the room, trying to find something useful, something to use against a monster-wolf. That's when I noticed that we were in a kitchen, as broken counters and toppled cabinets littered the ground. More to the point, that's when I saw a host of perfectly usable metal implements that I hadn't noticed before.

Good enough!

Without wasting another moment, I reached out for a discarded pan, trying to grab at the cast-iron tool despite my lack of physical body. I approached the- No, I used _my feet_ and ran to the spot where the pan was. I looked down at it with _my eyes_ , bending over as I reached out to it, _my arm_ drawing closer as I _grabbed_ the makeshift weapon.

... No.

Willpower alone could not change facts.

Despite my wishes, I could not pick it up. I stared at the pan for a few moments longer, my mind blank as the reality of my situation sunk in. If I couldn't pick it up, then what did that mean? What was-

"Please!"

A pained voice brought me back to my senses, and my eyes darted back to the child. Despite the impossibility of his task, the young boy kept on trying to save the dead priest, pulling harder at the corpse as he continued screaming to the night air. In response, the wolf growled once more, its voice far more threatening as it rose up to its haunches. My blood chilled for a moment, but thankfully, the beast didn't charge. Not yet.

Instead, it howled. And in the distance, a dozen more voices howled in concert.

 _ **Damnit**_. Why couldn't the child just run away?

I'd understand if this was just someone unconscious or something, but this man was _dead_ ; the broken plank in his chest was proof enough of that. Yet, the kid did not relent, still tugging at the man's sleeve without regard. If only he just... But he couldn't. The child either couldn't accept that the man was dead, or... couldn't tell the difference.

Because he was a child. And yet, in spite of that, and in spite of being a child, the kid still threw away all caution and instinct. Even though he recognized and knew that he was in danger, the child abandoned his senses, all because he wanted to help save the fallen priest.

... Hey. This was Tales of the Abyss, right? That means video game logic applies, right? More to the point, normal logic _doesn't_ , so there's no reason for me to give up, even if things seem impossible, right?

I turned my attention back to the pan.

If the child wasn't going to give up, then I had no reason to either. The child, young as he may be, made a conscious effort to help another person without regard for his own safety. On the other hand, I don't even have a body to put in harm's way, so what the hell am I doing hesitating? Without another word, I turned back to the...

That's when I noticed that the priest had not been unarmed.

Yeah, that makes sense. He was a priest, and in this world of monsters and magic, he would obviously have to have a weapon. Beside the fallen body was a staff, and one that would serve far better than some simple pan. The shaft of the weapon was solid wood of some kind, and the tip of the weapon was closer to a metallic spear than a staff head. The spear was... hollow, for lack of better word, and a strange red sphere hovered in the center of it, cementing the world as a fantasy world.

I made my way over to the staff, even as the child continued to cry out into the air. The wolf-no, wolves-drew closer, spurred on by the growing anxiety of the child. There was no other way around it: I _had_ to use this staff. It _had_ to work. I leaned down once again, lowering my non-existent body to the weapon as I prepared to grab the spear. I paused for just a moment, my eyes turning to the corpse as I spoke out, despite being unable to speak out.

 _I'm borrowing this._ I had to. I needed to. The child was misguided by his lack of knowledge, but had wanted to protect the priest all the same. The priest had been misguided by the Score, but had wanted to protect the child all the same. I was not misguided by anything, and I needed to protect all the same.

A charge filled the air. A feeling of surprise, then relief poured out from the charge. I recognized both the emotion, and the charge itself, my eyes widening as I stared at the corpse. No, the priest. And as I stared at the priest, the empty air around him stared back, smiling without smiling as I felt a nod. I turned back to the spear, my hand reaching out for the weapon. I would fight, and I wo-

"P-please! Mister! Help!"

Mister? I froze, turning to the child. Who was he talking about? Hadn't the score said that no one would be here? If another person was here, then... then maybe... But when I turned to the child, all I saw were cerulean eyes staring back at me, the child's face filled with hope and relief.

"Please, you have to help him!"

The child turned towards the corpse, one hand pointed to the fallen body as his other hand gripped at my arm.

At that moment, everything went white, a searing pain engulfing my mind and vision as all ceased to be.

* * *

I don't know how long it took for the pain to subside, but eventually, it did. And when it did, my mind lived again, my thoughts coming alight as I remembered what just happened. Immediately, I rose up, trying to find the child as... As...

Why was it day? I thought it was nighttime. It was definitely night the last time I check, what with the dark storms and ominous clouds. Yet, for whatever reason, the sky was clear and blue, not a hint of the previous situation in sight as the sun shone down at me. The light was blinding, but its presence allowed me to take note of something else. Something far more worrying.

I wasn't in the kitchen anymore. Instead, I was in some field somewhere, at the edge of some nondescript woods, sitting in a muddied ditch. It wasn't that big, all things considered, but the very presence of the ditch was enough to bring questions to mind. Where was I? What had happened to the child? Why were the edges of the ditch perfectly smooth? And... Why did my everything hurt?

"Ugh..." A groan of pain rose up, and almost immediately, my eyes widened. Elation rose up in my chest as I recognized the young child's voice. Ignoring my own pain, I shifted my attention to the source, my head turning over to... Wait, where exactly did that voice come from? Despite the clarity of the voice, I wasn't actually able to pick out the direction it came from.

And as I looked around, all I saw was the sight of fields, forest, and ditch. Huh.

Maybe I should try calling out to him? I mean, it's not like I had any other option or anything. Besides, he had somehow spotted me, and was able to poke at my arm, so maybe he'd be able to hear me too. Here goes nothing.

"Hey! Are you-"

The moment I spoke, I stopped. Whatever positive emotion I had faded away, and I felt my heart stop. Slowly, I turned my eyes downward, trying to quell that unease that rose up inside me. But my vision caught sight of the child's hands, and the dark feeling in my stomach grew.

"No..."

I... I didn't know what to say. The moment I saw his arms, I knew that things had turned out horribly. Yet, I couldn't understand how, let alone _why_ ; all I could do was mutter in disbelief, my voice heavy with regret and despair as I stared at his hands.

That's not quite right. It wasn't my voice.

I collapsed, my legs no longer willing to support me as I dropped into the ditch. Almost instinctively, my arms wrapped around my knees very much in the fetal position as I began to shudder. I felt my heart pulse, the pace growing faster and more oppressive as I clung to myself. A burning pain grew in my throat, and I forced myself to swallow it back down, a chill rising up my spine and nerves as I shook against the dirt. I clenched my eyes, closing myself to the world as I tried to blind myself, even as my breathing began to hitch.  
 _  
... Are you there?_

I sent my question to the darkness. No response came. Instead, all I felt was an oppressive sensation of guilt, my vision cast downwards as I stared at the dirt. Slowly, memories filled my thoughts, familiar words burning themselves into me as my eyes gazed blankly. His voice... no, my voice now... echoed out.

" _And though he will cry out for help, naught but the abyss shall be his end._ "

It burned.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I'll be brief. This story was created for NaNoWriMo, in order to enforce a better writing routine. As such, for the month of November, this shall be the only story I'll be putting out. It was also created to explore writing in first-person narrative, as well as the problems that may arise in stories that feature a self-insert. So yeah, this note is here just so people know what this story will ultimately be.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

I'm wasn't too sure how long I stayed in that ditch. Nor was I aware of how I got into it in the first place. All I really knew was that I couldn't muster up the will to leave it. How could I? I couldn't exactly ignore what had happened. What I had done.

A small part of my mind tried to rationalize it, tried to say that it wasn't my fault, to say that it was out of my control. Another part tried to tell me that I wasn't sure whether the kid was even dead at all, and that I couldn't jump to conclusions, since I didn't fully understand the situation. In a way, both parts were right... I didn't know what had happened, nor was I sure that I had caused it to happen.

But at the same time, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was simply trying to delude myself. Those parts in my mind were drowned out by a larger voice, more overbearing as it rose from that sinking pit in my gut. After all, regardless of how or why it happened, nothing could change the fact that it still happened. No amount of rationalization could tear my mind away, and nothing in my mind would dare allow me to forget: The child was gone, and only I remained. I couldn't help the child, and instead stole his place in the world.

... And the worst part of all this? I don't even know his name. Here I was, suddenly hijacking a child who had wanted to help someone, spiriting away his body and life, and I didn't even have the common decency to learn his name.

His home, his family, his friends... I knew none of that. Who he was, what he wanted, who he wanted to be; all forever lost, just because of something that I still didn't understand.. What he liked, disliked, what he thought was important or unimportant. Favourite foods, least favourite song... The list goes on and on. Little pieces of information that made a life a life, little goals and aspirations that made a person a person.

All gone.

... It was raining now. A single cold droplet hit my-... my cheek. The sun from earlier had waned, and dark clouds now filled the sky. A heavy wind blew, kicking up dirt and debris, knocking pieces of junk into the ditch where I lay. My eyes followed one such piece, as a piece of wood-broken off from who knows where-fell in. The dull pain as it hit my finger barely registered in my mind, and my eyes stared hazily at the piece as it came to a rest in my dirt-stained palm.

Dirt-stained?

My eyes drifted down to my arm, only to find it caked in mud and more dirt, the wet ground soaking into the sleeve of my jacket as a cold sensation bled through the fabric. And as I noticed that cold sensation, the rest of my nerves came back to life, a chill running up my spine as I felt my body, half-buried in the sopping earth.

But, despite the uncomfortable sensation of wet dirt, chilling rain, and rolling winds, I simply didn't want to get up. It was a struggle just to move my arm, and the more I stared at the stained sleeve, the more I was reminded of that fact that neither these clothes nor my body were actually mine. And because of that, the one thing that _was_ mine had had absolutely no desire to rise up from the ground. For a few short moments, I contemplated closing my eyes, embracing the water that was slowly filling that ditch.

But I couldn't.

I wasn't sure what it was, but a small feeling sparked inside me, subtly pushing at the corner of my mind each time I contemplated the thought. It wasn't even a proper feeling, the sensation something closer to a vague haze of... doubt, I guess? Not the same doubt that sprung up whenever I questioned myself, but the kind you get when you're sure that there's something you forgot to do. With that said, I knew exactly what _I_ forgot to do.

I forgot to save the damned kid, didn't I? The whole reason I had acted in the first place was to help that child. I even had that hallucination with the dead priest, just to save the child. And now I was... well, okay, now I was just repeating the same oppressive thought over and over and over.

Was that why that feeling lingered? Because I kept focusing on that one thing? If so, then what else was I supposed to consider? The only other thing that happened from that horrible situation was that I somehow ended up with the kid's body. That, and the fact that I had spent the past however-long wallowing in a ditch in self-pity over it.

A part of my chest rose as that thought flashed into my mind.

Yeah. That was all I was doing now, wasn't it? Not only did I somehow hijack that kid's body, I was now wasting it away here in a ditch, doing nothing about it. What the hell was I doing with my life? Though... I guess that it's with his life now, or at least what was left of it.

And isn't that a sobering thought? To add insult to injury, all I did after stealing his life was waste it away, needlessly casting it into a ditch for no reason but angst. Maybe that's why some part of my mind nagged at me.

Slowly, I began to move.

I hadn't noticed how sore my legs were, but as I gradually stretched out, I felt the numbing cold give way to pained tension. My arms and legs alike shuddered uneasily as I struggled against the mud, gradually forcing my body to rise as I pulled myself onto my feet. After all, I couldn't let his completely go to waste; that would be the worst offense to commit.

The wind seemed to intensify as I climbed out of the ditch, feeling more of the billowing cold as I slowly searched my surroundings. Like I said, I wasn't sure how long I had lingered in that ditch, and now that I've decided to not throw away this life, I needed to follow through. All around me were snapped branches and toppled debris, all uprooted by the violent winds and scattered about in an expansive mess. Broken fences, crumbled tiles... There wasn't too much in the way of useful stuff.

My eyes fell on a large sheet of fabric, half-torn as it was caught against the end of a half-buried plank. I had no clue what was actually useful and what was junk, but cloth could help, right? At the very least, I could use it to block off some of the wind.

I took my first step, then lost balance as my step ended early, my foot stopping against the ground far sooner than I had expected. A quick glance downwards was all it took to remind me that I was now stuck in the body of a... 5 year old? A toddler? Like I said, I knew nothing about the child. At any rate, I made my way over to the fabric, gathering it up into a messy bundle of cloth. I had also intended to grab the plank for good measure, but... Yeah, can't exactly carry it all.

There's a thought. I'm the equivalent of a five-year-old. Even if I've suddenly resolved to live, how exactly do I go about doing it? This was Tales of the Abyss, complete with monsters. Not to mention that I had no idea where I was. I mean, if I was lucky, there there would be some sort of aid or rescue team to help pick up the pieces of whatever happened here. But if I wasn't?

Living is hard. Food, shelter, water... I didn't have the power to get any of those, at least not on my own. And that's not considering the fact that I couldn't defend myself. I mean, it'd be one thing if I knew how to fight, or knew how to use magic, but the closest thing to combat that I knew of was Martial arts... and even my knowledge in that wasn't too great. There was simply no getting around the fact that I was in a child's body, with no one to cling to for help. This was going to be a lot harder than I thought.

But it's not like I had any other choice.

* * *

It's night now. And fortunately for me, I had gotten lucky in my search. Maybe I _did_ have help from somewhere.

There was a ruined town or something close to the ditch that I had been laying in, and a few hours of skulking through the collapsed buildings had awarded me with a few supplies. Nothing fancy, really, and nothing that would last more than a day or so, but it was still a stroke of good fortune. Despite the water damage, I had still gathered a small pile of bread and fruit from the abandoned neighborhood. But, perhaps more important than food supplies, I had found makeshift shelter for the night.

The building I was currently holed up in used to be a warehouse or something, and carried a bunch of things that had once been trade goods. Broken pottery, flooded tapestry, ripped paintings... all that and more were haphazardly scattered around the room, amidst broken shelves, shattered crates, and torn sacks. Most of the place was collapsed, however, and it'd take a good few days to search through the rubble. Not that perishable foods would last that long, but it should still serve as a source of... stuff.

Stuff like this loose collection of staves. Tucked near the back, alongside similar boxes in less-than-usable condition, was a box of staves that had barely survived the accident. At least, I think it was an accident, considering how strong the winds and waters still were.

Regardless, the point was, despite the numerous splintered shafts of wood, there were still a few of these decorated sticks that hadn't been completely destroyed. They were impressively made, smooth wooden sticks with sharp, metallic ornaments at the tip. Really, I was just happy with the fact that these sticks had a sharp metal bit to them, since I could probably could use them to cut things, in lieu of a proper knife. Hopefully.

Besides weapons that I could barely carry, I had uncovered another thing of interest: Sacks of... stuff. I wasn't quite sure what they were, but they were clearly made of rough fibers, and while most of them had been torn or soaked, a fair portion of them still remained relatively pristine. Since I was currently inside a warehouse, I had been quite hopeful that they were sacks of grains or rice or something, and I had spent the past few hours trying to get at them. Well, them, and that rack of dried fish behind them.

Okay, I might've only noticed the fish at first, and spotted the sacks later. Not that it mattered, since they were both locked away.

My entrance into the warehouse had been through a collapsed wall, and that hole had brought me to the place where people kept valuable wares locked away. Unfortunately, since I was inside the apparent vault, that meant that there were very visible metal bars separating the room I was in from the room with those sacks. At first, I had tried to slip through the bars, what with being a child and all, but whoever designed the things had apparently made them child-proof: The bars were barely wide enough for me to fit my arm through, let alone my entire body.

So now, I was searching through the each and every box I could find, in some vain hope that I'd uncover something useful. But, rather than a key or crowbar, all I found were books and jewelry, neither of which helped my immediate situation. I mean, it wasn't like I could understand the language or anything. And what good was a fancy stone going to do for me? I mean, unless it was magic or something... But even if it was magic, I wouldn't know the first step to using it. So yeah, not exactly all that helpful. Time to check the nex-

A howl.

My eyes immediately turned away from the box, shifting to the direction of the sound. In the distance, I saw the silhouette of animals, probably wolves given the howl, and my blood chilled. I wasn't adverse to fighting them, since I was now armed with a pointy stick, and the entrance into the building had a chokepoint I could work around. Still, I wasn't exactly experienced in fighting animals either, and I had less confidence in my five-year-old body than I did in my... my... However old I was body.

No time to think on that, though. Without wasting another moment, I made my way back to the collapsed wall, struggling as best as I could to move some obstacles in the way. I had pushed a few obstacles in the way earlier, but that was more the result of searching through the room. Now, I had to make a concerted effort to build a proper barricade. After all, wolves weren't really known for climbing over half-destroyed desks and chairs, at least not while dodging stabs from an oversized stick.

At least, I hope they weren't.

... This was a terrible idea. Even if I could stab a wolf, what good would it do? I didn't have enough strength to kill it outright, nor did even I know _where_ I was supposed to stab it. And wouldn't hurting it just cause it to struggle harder? I should be working towards deterrence or something... I mean, they're animals, so they should have instincts and stuff, right? Maybe I could ward them off with fire. You know, assuming I knew how to create a fire from nothing.

Oh, and assuming that it wasn't their instincts that led them here in the first place. If they instinctively knew that I was a helpless child ready to be eaten, I doubt they'd be dissuaded by a torch or bonfire. But whatever the case was, I still had no choice but to protect myself. So, armed with a staff-spear and a pile of rubble, I waited.

And waited.

... And waited some more. They should've at least approached by now, right? I mean, I could still hear their howls, but it sounded like they were just as far away now as they had been before. Curiosity took over, and I carefully stepped over to the makeshift barricade I had made, peeking through the shelves and tables as I tried to spot out the wolves.

It didn't take long. They were where I had spotted them before, atop a distant hill. However, there were other shapes in the darkness, moving against the wolves, snarling with their own voices as low growls echoed from the shadows. I guess there were more monsters here besides the wolves, and they didn't enjoy playing nice with each other. As I strained my eyes, I spotted one of the shapes as it charged at another, and while their actual features were completely lost to the dark, there was no mistaking the lunges and tackles between the two silhouettes.

Maybe the howl wasn't meant for me, after all. Or maybe it was, and the wolves had simply attracted the attention of that other monster pack. Either way, their conflict gave me time to fortify my defensive junk wall, and after another few minutes of strenuous activity, I had managed to add a half-bookshelf to the pile. I would've added more, but after moving that last piece of broken furniture, I had found something far more important than any piece of rubble.

Hidden behind that fallen shelf was a rack of weapons. And while the spears, halberds, and longswords all looked impressive in their own right, my eyes fell onto one thing in particular.

I had found a crossbow.

* * *

Honestly, I didn't remember there being any crossbows in the game. I mean, there were certainly bows and archery, and it wasn't like the technology level of the setting couldn't support crossbows, but... Yeah, I couldn't remember any actual crossbows. Maybe I just forgot, given how long it had been since I had played the game. Or maybe it was just an item in the background that you never could've interacted with, at least in game.

Whatever the case might've been, what mattered now was that I had one in my possession. And while it was too heavy for a child to use _properly_ , the fact remained that I could still _use_ it. The crossbow itself was pretty heavy, at least for a brat like me, but that didn't mean I couldn't lug it around. It didn't take too long for me to find a fallen table to prop it up against and over the course of the next five minutes, I gathered as many bolts as I could to that spot.

I'd need every advantage I could find, and-

A sound echoed from outside, and my eyes narrowed. Something fell over, or someone knocked, or _something._ Part of me wanted to check out what it was, but there was a high chance that it had simply been the result of some monster rummaging about. Then again... there was the faint possibility that it wasn't a monster, and it was some other person who had also gotten wrapped up in this accident. I mean, my barricade was very obviously man-made, and there was still a high chance that people were around.

Still, I wasn't going to take any chances. Keeping one eye at the entrance, I quickly cranked my crossbow, loading a bolt into the weapon as I waited for something to happen. Fortunately, nothing came, and after a few moments, my weapon was ready. I still wasn't sure whether it was a person or monster, but the noise hadn't sounded out again, so...

"... Hello?"

Movement, but no response. That narrowed the options down _a lot_ , and I leaned closer to my crossbow, fixing it towards the entrance. "If someone's there, say something."

Again, movement, but no other response. This didn't fill me with any confidence, since I had no idea what to expect. A monster would've charged in after my first few words, whereas a person would've said _something_. Even if there was a language thing-which I'm not too sure about, since I understood the kid and priest just fine-the person would've still tried to speak.

Yet, nothing but silence came. If that was the case, then there was a chance that this was neither a monster nor a person.

But what did that leave? Not that many options, unfortunately. About the only thing I could think of were... Bandits. And the moment I thought of it, I grew more worried. I was just a kid, and whoever was out there could definitely hear it in my voice. If it was a bandit or someone actively malicious, then... Well, people were far harder to deal with than mindless animals. My only hope would be to trick them or something, but I wasn't confident in my ability to do that.

Then again, I didn't need to trick them much. If they were just bandits, and they thought I was some defenseless kid, then they wouldn't immediately attack me, right? I took a deep breath, a plan already forming in my mind, my hand reflexively clenching around the crossbow stock as I did so. If they weren't expecting me, then I could...

My breathing hitched. A shudder coursed through me. Doubt already began to gnaw at my throat as my eyes fell to that fabric sheet I had brought along. Slowly, with a single shaking hand, I draped it over the crossbow, taking care not to touch the firing trigger even as I hid the weapon from view. There was no way that that thin cloth could've offered any resistance against a crossbow bolt, which meant that I had an advantage.

But at the same time... Could I really...?

"... I-I don't want any trouble." I threw my voice out to the still air. I didn't even need to fake the nervousness in my words as I did so, my eyes nervously darting between the doorway and the murderous item I had tucked away. No matter how much I rationalized it in my mind, the pit in my throat never faded. And yet, despite my warning, another noise erupted from the dark, this one louder than the last.

"P... please... Don't come in here." It was barely a whisper at this point, my eyes glued to the dark. Hearing nothing, I swallowed, raising my voice once more as I stressed the words. "G-go away! Please!"

That's when I noticed the desperation in my voice. My eyes fell, only to find the silhouette of the crossbow clearly visible underneath the fabric, pointed down and away from the doorway. My hands were tense, sweating, and my entire body was numb with cold, almost paralyzed by the sheer prospect of... of...

The air was still.

And no other sound erupted for the rest of the night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

I wasn't sure when I had nodded off, but the moment I regained consciousness, an uneasy dread filled my mind. The response was almost instinctive, my back tingling with a cold chill as the realization that I had fallen asleep overtook my thoughts. Confusion followed that sensation, my eyes closing shut as I tried to remember _why_ I hadn't wanted to fall asleep in the first place.

Those thoughts didn't take long. Memories of last night bled into my mind, and my head snapped up in response. It was hard, going against that numbing sensation of sleep and exhaustion, but I still forced myself awake, my arms scrambling as I pushed myself off the surface of some wooden table. As I did so, something fell from my grasp, not even aware that I had been holding something as I shoved an item off the table.

A sharp twang broke through the air, followed by the sound of impact as metal splintered wood.

My eyes fell on the point of impact, and I finally recognized the sight of a crossbow bolt, buried inside the leg a broken chair. That only left me with more questions, since I had apparently fallen asleep while clinging to a still-loaded crossbow. While that fact was dangerous in its own right, it did at least tell me something important: nothing really disturbed me. If it was a monster, I wouldn't have woken up, and if it was a person... Well, neither neither bandits nor responsible adults would let a child cling to a crossbow while asleep.

Gradually, I rose to my feet, staggering a bit as I felt blood flow back into my legs. Apparently, I had a pretty bad sleeping posture when holding a crossbow, since every bit of my body was sore as I stumbled across the room. Still, I eventually made my way to the pile of junk, and a quick peek through the fallen debris told me that there was absolutely nothing outside. I could see neither wolves nor any people in sight, the surroundings still as I peeked my gaze from fallen building to fallen building.

So... yeah. For the moment, at least, it seemed like I was alone. Honestly, I still wasn't too sure whether this was a good thing or not, since I still doubted my ability to survive long-term. But at the same time... I didn't really have much of a choice. And it wasn't like I didn't have the tools, either, considering how lucky I had gotten with this warehouse.

Taking in a heavy sigh, I turned my attention back to the room, taking stock of inventory one last time. I was still no closer to getting passed those locked bars, so I couldn't quite get at the preserved fish or bags of stuff. Still, what I had on my side was useful enough in their own right. Sufficed to say, I was bringing along that crossbow, since it was my only real option against threats.

Unfortunately, that didn't leave space for much more stuff, due to my diminutive body size. The weapon wasn't large by normal standards, but being a kid-sized kid, it was far more cumbersome than it needed to be. Maybe I could find some way to sling it on my back or something, since carrying it around with just my arms was really difficult.

My attention turned to the other weapons that I had found, from the box of barely-serviceable staves to the rack of slightly-more-pristine weapons. There were longswords and halberds, maces and axes, even a ridiculously-sized greatsword. However, all of these items had one thing in common: every single one of them looked far too big or heavy for me to use. Every thing, from sword to spear, was made of solid metal, all decorated with some fancy engraving or symbol.

Yeah, no. From that pile, the single-most practical weapon I could see was a one-handed axe of some kind, and even that thing was too heavy for me to use properly. At best, I'd use it the same way adults used two-handed axes. Which, now that I think about it, might actually work. Still, carrying both a giant crossbow and that axe would be too strenuous for me. I still have no clue how strong this kid's body was, but considering how much I'm struggling just to lug around this crossbow... I had a lot of work cut out for me.

But hey, at least I had some tools now, and having tools helped with finding solutions. And between a crossbow and heavy weapon, I could probably solve a fair amount of problems.

... Oh, who was I kidding? I still didn't know the first thing about proper survival. Food, water, shelter... So far, I've only got a solution for one of those problems. Well, one-and-a-half; I could definitely hunt with this crossbow, and this warehouse is actually pretty decent shelter, as long as I bundle up with enough fabric. The only problem is that I've got no way to cook the food, nor do I have a way to gather water. I mean, my best bet is probably to use the magic of science to distill water. Shame I couldn't use the magic of magic to just conjure water or something. Or start fires to cook food.

Really, being able to use actual magic would help a lot. Unfortunately, I knew nothing about magic at all, let alone how it worked in this world. I mean, how could I? In the game, magic was only possible because it influenced the world's elementary particles _._.. Stuff like molecules. Only, instead of photons or neutrons or what-have-you, the world in Tales of the Abyss ran on magical particles known as Fonons. More importantly, performing magic involved using words and _something else_ to manipulate these particles. Since I wasn't able to issue orders to electrons back on Earth, I probably didn't have any transferable skills that applied to magic here in this world. Which was... disappointing.

But the most disappointing thing about not being able to use magic wasn't my inability to use it, but rather... I probably could've learned how to, since I likely had the resources to do it with.

After all, there were a lot of discarded books here, and a few of them had fancy-looking covers. Some were waterlogged, but a few of them were in surprisingly good condition, and each of them had been made with obvious care and detail. It was pretty likely that these books contained useful information of some kind, and coupled with the fact that they were stored in a warehouse-one that also contained expensive-looking, if slightly destroyed, items and weapons-they were probably extremely valuable. Which, in turn, meant that these books could've very well been magical in nature. Too bad I couldn't read a single one of them.

Due to being fantasy-land, the language used to write these books was something that I knew nothing about. The words and sentences were comprised of squiggly characters, overly-elaborate artsy symbols that formed no language that I could recognize. And while the spoken language sounded like English to me, there was no guarantee that their written language would be so convenient. Or that it actually was English. This is confusing.

Regardless, due to being unable to learn magic, I'm forced to do things the old fashion way. Good thing I understood basic concepts like... I dunno, friction I guess? That's how they made campfires, right? If not, there's always the whole lens and sunlight trick... Assuming I could find a lens here. Or make one out of water and glass. No clue how to go about doing that second one though.

With that said, I hope that I could still apply earth-based science to this world, considering how the usual base elements of earth didn't really apply. Still, the game had equivalents, such as wood burning despite not having any carbon in them. Or water conducting lightning, the complete lack of electronics and... something about valence stuff.

Okay, this did not bode well for me. I should probably try to take things one step at a time. No need to consider molecular theory when my biggest problem was carrying around a stupid crossbow.

* * *

So, I found a solution!

Not a solution to my illiteracy or anything like that, but rather, a solution to making sure I could survive the next few days. My medium-y long-term problems involved food and water, but if I were to be more specific, then my most immediate problem was the fact that I couldn't carry enough stuff to do things with. Fortunately, the warehouse contained a great deal of props and tools to play around with, and I had spent the past few hours refining damaged clothes, broken weapons, and bolted fancy cloth into a solution.

Emphasis on that bolted cloth thing. It was probably wasteful to use elaborately woven tapestry as scrap fabric, but I didn't exactly care about that, and had turned what usable fabrics I could find into strips of cloth. And considering that usable only meant "not completely waterlogged", it wasn't too hard.

That wasn't to say that there was dry fabric everywhere, since the water damage was pretty extensive. However, I wasn't too interested in the quality of the fabric, only that I had fabric at all, so I had enough cloth to work with. And since the storm from last night had mostly subsided, I didn't even need to worry about supply, since I could probably just dry out the soaked fabrics later. Really, the greatest difficulty I had with this entire thing was not getting the fabric, but rather, getting something to cut the fabric with.

Fortunately, to accomplish that, all I had to do was take my idea from yesterday-the one about using the metal parts of the spear-staff things-and put it into practice. Since the staves themselves were mostly wood, and since I had an axe to cut wood with, I put two and two together! It was mostly safe, and all I had to do was make sure to use some of the larger fabrics to block off any free-flying shrapnel. At the end of it, I was left with a brand new not-knife, and only a few light cuts on my arm.

With the fabric strips, I had made a rough sling for the crossbow. Sure, the first few attempts resulted in nothing more than shredded cloth, but I eventually remembered that you could tie things together for slightly more strength. So now, I've got this weirdly embroidered half-rope fabric loop thing, tied around the front part of the crossbow, that I could sling over my shoulder. All things considered, it was a pretty hack job, and I needed to untie the loop every time I wanted to actually fire, but... it was good enough for now.

Oh, I also tried making those hobo-bindle things. I vaguely recalled them from old cartoons, and I had no shortage of fabric or sticks to attempt to make them with. Unfortunately, nothing really worked, and I couldn't get the tying part right. Or, if I could, then I had issues with the bindle not sticking to the stick. Or the odd balance causing me to just drop the bindle all-together. It was around my fifth attempt that I realized the stick-bag method wouldn't be practical anyways, due to my size.

But, despite that failure, I still considered my overall actions a success. I mean, I could carry around my crossbow now, which was a good thing since it was my only real way of defending myself. Then, there was all the knowledge I learned with playing around with fabric, such as how to tear it, and the more-important aspect of how _not_ to tear it. Shame I couldn't do anything about the books.

Now armed with a bit more tools, I was finally ready to explore my surroundings. Honestly, besides being inside a town, I knew nothing about my current location. Additionally, I wasn't exactly well-off on supplies, either; I was kind of lacking for food, and while that barred-off room was my best bet of getting something edible, there was still a chance that there were other storage buildings in the town as well. And even if there wasn't, I might still be able to find another entrance to that room if I searched the area.

Axe in hand, I slowly slipped out of the warehouse, eyes darting all around as I took in the surroundings.

Surprise and alarm filled my mind as I found... Well, let me put it this way: the town ruins looked far worse today than it had yesterday. At least, there were still noticeable buildings in the town yesterday, even if they were mostly collapsed or broken. But today?

Everything was destroyed. Utterly.

The winds from yesterday must've been harsher than I had thought, since most of my surroundings were nothing more than piles of shingles, stone and wood. There were no roads, only mud-soaked passages with pieces of trash buried in the bottom. Some areas were in better condition than others, though, and the things on this side of town seemed a bit more stable than the one closest to the-

The sea? When the hell was there the sea here? I could've sworn that this town was by some field or forest. My eyes immediately turned to the horizon, ignoring the ruined buildings this time as I confirmed my location, only to be met with surprised as I realized that there was both present. I guess this was a coastal town or something, with a nearby forest.

Not... too outlandish, now that I think about it. And if the ocean's right here, then maybe the whole source damage to this place wasn't the result of a storm, but something bigger. A tsunami or hurricane, perhaps? But if that was the case, then wouldn't this town have been built with that in mind? Yet, most of the buildings had been all but destroyed, with barely any still standing. Either the storm was far larger than the architects had anticipated, or it was something else.

And in a land of monsters, that "something else" was pretty likely.

Still, things weren't all bad. The fact that I was by the sea was actually good news. This was a coastal town, which probably meant trade and stuff. That also meant that trade ships or caravans would visit at some point, and I'd be able to get some help off of this place. Then, I could... could...

I stopped, some enthusiasm waning as that thought lingered in my mind. What exactly did I want to do? More importantly, what exactly did this kid want to do? I mean, the only thing I knew about him was that he was willing to help people despite danger to himself, but that didn't mean much by itself. Would he have joined the life of a soldier or a guardsman, to protect people from monsters? Or would he have turned to being a physician or healer, to help those who get hurt? Could he even be a healer? What magical aptitude did he have?

All these questions and more, and honestly, I had no idea. Perhaps I should search this town first... I woke up near it, so there was the off-chance that he actually lived here. Maybe I could find some sort of hint or clue to who he was. Old photos? People who knew his parents? Something?

Well, whatever the case might've been, I knew that I wouldn't be able to find any answers until I ensured my survival first. My eyes turned back to the warehouse behind me, and I gradually began my search anew, walking along the edge as I tried to find another entrance back in. After that? Only time wi-

 **"Squaark!"  
**  
A shrill noise erupted from behind me. My eyes widened, whatever thoughts I once had fading away as I immediately whipped around to the source, only to find myself staring at what could only be a monster.

Emotionless eyes peered at me, beady and pitch black, a colour that was in stark contrast to the rest of its bright form. The creature was well over four feet tall, practically giant when compared with my own childish body. Most of the creature was nothing more than puffed up feathers, a vibrant plume of gold and orange, deceptively colourful as the bird-like monstrosity walked on two taloned feet... But that was only most. The rest of the monster's body was dedicated to being a monster.

Instead of a normal bird beak of yellow... whatever-beaks-were-made-of, the creature that stared at me had one that looked like it was made of metal or stone, its beak expanding vertically for a span of a meter, heavy and sharp as it clacked ominously at me.

I instantly recognized the bird monster, as parts of the game flitted into my mind. As I stared, its name rose back up, and I couldn't help but stare at it as it began trudging towards me, its feet cleanly walking through dirt and debris.

Axe-Beak.

* * *

It might've been a stupid name. Heck, the monster might've been a stupid monster in-game. However, the creature that was currently trying to chase me was hardly so laughable. I barely had the time to unsling my crossbow before the creature broke into a charge, giving me no chance to load my weapon proper as it forced me to retreat.

My first mistake was _where_ I retreated to, my body instinctively attempting to retreat back inside the warehouse to escape the bird. However, I was nowhere near nimble enough with that crossbow on my back, and the act of carrying it by hand was only that much more cumbersome. The bird had reached me well before I could reach the warehouse, and heavy footfalls were my only warning as I dove out of the way. As a result of my actions, my body collided against ground, and the axe-beak collided against the barricade, its beak partially stuck in a wooden cabinet as I rose to my feet.

The giant bird was blocking my only entrance. A frown formed on my face, as I tried to find some way past the bird, but every single angle seemed more dangerous than the last, as the feathered beast flailed wildly with its talons, slashing at the air around it. Just like that, my path of escape was cut off, and I had to retreat to one of the few buildings not fully destroyed by the storm. Moments before I could reach the second build, a loud snap echoed through the air, signaling the Axe-Beak's freedom from the broken cabinet as it released a shrill cry, before turning its attention towards me.

I dove into the building, and was awarded with nothing but destroyed tables and scrap tools among the ruins. Still, rather than that, I strained my ears, listening to the world outside as soft thuds echoed in the distance. For whatever reason, it wasn't giving chase. Something that I fully intended to take advantage of, as I began loading my crossbow.

... I'll say this right now. Despite its ridiculous appearance, the monstrous bird clearly had some intelligence behind its eyes, as it had deliberately chosen to position itself between my hiding spot and the warehouse. More than that, it made no effort to give chase, apparently content to stand over the road. At first, I thought that it had simply given up, or had lost interest, but... the moment it screeched a second time, that thought was dispelled. The time it screeched was due to anger or frustration, its voice directed more at the wall than anything else.

But the second? The second was a very deliberate cry, one directed upwards as it gave a powerful hoot more than a shrill screech. And a few moments after it had sounded out, two more cries echoed in the distance, rising up and resonating with the axe-beak's own voice.

It didn't take me long to understand what that meant; I was on borrowed time.

Crossbow loaded, I brought the weapon up, propping it against a barely-stable window sill as I turned the weapon towards the bird. Thoughts echoed in my mind as I tried to calm down, struggling between the growing tension in my body and the weight of the crossbow as I stared forward. Aim for its stomach; wound it; Headshots were for games and not-kid-arms. I was never trained in a gun, but I'd heard enough second-hand media to know that center of mass was probably where I was supposed to hit. And since I didn't know where that was, the stomach would be a good second. My eye narrowed as I peeked down the sight, trying to stablize myself and account for my tiny body, shifting the crossbow ever so slightly.

It finished its cry, its head shifting back down as it turned its entire body to me.

I thumbed the side of the trigger, making sure the crossbow was cranked and ready to fire.

It recognized the crossbow, or perhaps felt my intentions; either way, the axe-beak crouched, digging its feet to the ground before kicking off towards me in a mad dash. Step after step, rush after rush, but I forced myself to remain focused as I watched its approach.

I failed.

I had never stared down a charging animal before, let alone a monster with a weaponized beak. I doubt I'd be able to stare down a charging boar, let alone this thing, and my hand gripped itself in fear as I felt my body hesitate. And the beast was so much bigger from my point of view, a towering force of nature that wanted nothing more than to cleave me in two.  
In my panic, the bolt was shot.

A cry of pain emerged from the axe-beak, a metal bolt embedded in its wing. Yet, it wasn't enough, and the creature only seemed to grow more furious as it released another shrill cry. I was shaken, but not stunned, and one hand immediately reached to my belt as I tried to draw forth another crossbow bolt. It didn't take too long, and after a few moments, I managed to- _No_. I was supposed to draw the crossbow first; How could I load if I didn't?

The axe-beak was closer now, and I could see the blood seeping from its wing. The ground shook.

I pulled the crossbow off the window sill, bracing it against the ground as I pulled the string back. Cable. Wire. Whatever it's called, II tried to pull it, first with my hands. It failed, and I remembered the crank. I began drawing it once more, frantically turning the crank at the end, splitting my attention as my eyes flickered back to the axe-beak.

Staring back at me were beady black eyes, far closer than I remembered, the pitch black colour my only warning as it charged forward. The loud sound of impact echoed out as it gave a frenzied cry, its beak embedding into the wooden walls of the partially-destroyed house. But, thankfully, it didn't push beyond. Another frenzied yell rose from the animal, as it began shaking its beak, struggling against the wood as it brought a foot up to the wall.

It was stuck. I could tell that much from the way its talons gripped at the window sill, crushing wood as it tried to dislodge itself from the building wall. Or perhaps it was just trying to step forward, breaking the wooden wall in the meantime as it continued its charge. I wasn't too sure, nor did I plan on finding out. This was an opportunity.

My eyes fell to my weapon, forcing my arms into a rhythm as I cranked the crossbow, drawing the string fully as I nocked the bolt in place. Those steps finished, I brought the crossbow back up, taking a few steps back as I did so, not quite prepared for the momentum of my sudden motion as I took aim. My arms could not support me, but I didn't need support: only time.

The wall broke, and the bird cried.

I pulled the trigger, and the bird cried louder.

Blood soaked into the wood as I dove out of the way, dropping the crossbow as I did so, my head colliding squarely with the surface of a broken table. Yet, that mild impact was far more preferable to the giant axe-beak as it barreled through the spot where I had once stood.

Another loud sound rose out as the Axe-Beak found itself buried in another wall, this one as sturdy as the last. Once more, it brought up its legs, bracing against the wall as it tried to pull itself away... But I was ready for it this time. Adrenaline filled my veins as I reached to my belt, drawing forth my makeshift spear-knife. I would've grabbed my axe, but I had long lost track of when I had dropped it. So, instead of that weapon, I merely held the spearhead in my grasp, my eyes darting between the weapon and the monster as I watched it struggle against the wood, failing to free itself a second time. Opportunity.

Hesitation mixed with recklessness, blending in with a rising sense of adrenaline as the entire sensation filled my mind, spurred by the moment and by panic as I ran forward. As it struggled, I drove dagger-sized spearhead into its leg, blood splashing out and washing over me as it did so, drawing forth a loud cry from the beast even as I was sprayed with gore. I froze in place, the sensation completely alien to me as I stared at my arm, feeling the dark liquid drip down my arm even as it struggled harder against the blade.

I knew the creature was unable to muster the strength needed to free itself. I knew it was close to the edge, even if I hadn't heard the loud screeches spilling from its beak. It was... time to end it. I prepared to silence it forever.

"Hey kid, get down!"

A brash voice broke me from my trance, and I turned to the source. There, beyond the wall, stood a man in a distinctive blue and white uniform. Beside him stood three more in similar dress, each armed with crossbows of their own, pointed squarely at me.

No, not me; the monster behind me.

I dove down, sprawling onto the ground without regard for obstacles or debris, and the sound of crossbows being loosed echoed over my head. The bird cried out one final time, but the sounds of its struggles soon ceased, no longer rattling against the wooden walls as it finally died. What rose up in its place were countless footsteps, the mysterious group of people steadily beginning to move around, as worried voices spoke out to one another. I caught some of their words, mainly words of concern or solemn worry, but for the most part, I wasn't quite sure what they had said.

"Alright, things have calmed down now. It's safe to come out." But, at the very least, I understood that.

Slowly I rose to my feet, left with no other choice as I slowly made my way to the half-destroyed window sill. Peeking out, I caught sight of the uniformed people once more, their white hats and distinctive manner of dress somehow familiar to me. Yet, I had no clue who they were, and could only stare in silence, as I slowly shifting my gaze away from them and back to the monster behind me.

"Don't worry, you're safe now." One of the men stepped forward, crouching down in front of me as he put his crossbow away, hesitantly holding up a hand towards me as he spoke with a softer tone. There was no way I was taking his hand, however, especially given what had happened last night. If these were bandits, then I was in trouble, and part of me began looking for some sort of escape.

The man must've noticed my expression, as he gave a heavy sigh the moment my eyes fell on the distant exit. "Look, I know you're scared and confused. You don't know where your family is, and you have no idea what happened, right?"

He paused, waiting for me to answer in some way. A hesitant nod was all I gave.

"Then come with us. We're sailors from Chesedonia." That name... sounded familiar to me somehow, and I turned my eyes up to face him proper. The man smiled a bit at that, his expression softening as he continued speaking once more. "That's right, you've probably seen a lot of our ships docked here in the past, haven't you? We were on our way here to trade when we saw what happened. I still couldn't believe what we saw."

"What... What happened?" My eyes lit up as he spoke, and the question immediately escaped from my lips. It sounded like he knew what had happened, and at this point, I would've appreciated answers from any source at all. I had been lost since the moment I had seen that Priest of Daath, and things had only gotten more confusing as time went on. If I could just figure out _what_ was happening in the first place, maybe I could start to find answers for all my other questions, too.

"... I'm sorry." Instead, he apologized, his head tilted down as he stared at the floor. "I know you won't be able to understand this. Score, even I can barely understand this."

As he spoke, he rose up, his face turning to the horizon as he stared at... something in the distance. My eyes followed, peeking up over the window sill as I stared at the distant sea. Only then did I realize that something was... wrong. In the distance was a flurry of fog, mixed with raging storms and a single tempest that seemed to remain fixed in place. Lightning arced from cloud to ocean, illuminating the fog with a sudden flash of light.

I remembered a lot from the Tales of the Abyss game, but this scene was wholly foreign to me.

"The Island of Hod... The island across from this one you live on... is gone."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

"Hod?" I repeated the name, my eyes fixed on the horizon as I stared at the distant storm. From the corner of my eye, the sailor nodded in response, unwilling to say anything else as alarm and dread washed over me. "I-...It can't be."

That couldn't be right. The moment I heard the name, recognition sprang into mind, only to be met with confusion. Hod had just been a background city in the game, one that was scarcely mentioned except in passing. It served as the hometown for a few characters, before ultimately being destroyed by some government experiment related to the villain. Some of the protagonists, as well as the main villain, had been born in Hod, and the loss of the Island was a major part of what had kicked the plot into motion.

Colour drained from my face as I processed that thought. Where... Where the hell was I? If I was witnessing the fall of Hod, then that meant that I was somewhere-some _time_ -other than in the events of the game. Following the plot, Hod should've been nothing more than a bad memory. If that wasn't the case, then it meant that most of the protagonists hadn't even been born yet, or were just in their early childhood. Heck, even the Antagonist wasn't an adult yet, if I was remembering things right. Unless... that was someone else?

I couldn't remember full. And being unable to remember everything was infuriating.

"...'ve been combing the island for the past few days, searching for survivors like yourself." The sailor's voice came out, trying to reassure me as he pat my shoulder. Or head. Or something, I wasn't paying much attention, at least not until he had physically interrupted my thoughts. My eyes turned up to the man, his words completely lost to me, having missed most of the conversation. He must've taken my confusion as something else, as he gave a solemn sigh before squatting down beside me once again. "Please, come with us. I promise you'll be safe there. You may even find your family or friends..."

My blood froze as he said that. Not right now. _Please_ , not right now.

The last thing I wanted was to find this kid's family. Distant relatives, maybe, since I could get a rough idea of his upbringing if it was second-hand... but meeting his immediate family? Unless his household neglected him, which I sincerely doubted due to that priest's final words, they'd be able to recognize him in an instant. More than that, they'd be able to recognize that something was _wrong_ , that I wasn't him. I mean, I knew nothing about the kid, not even his name, so stumbling onto his parents would've been the worst-case scenario. Not only would they see through any sort of ruse I'd fail to make...

I would've crushed what final hopes they might've had for their kid.

I.. I don't think I'd be able to do that. Killing off their child, taking his place, then finally rubbing the salt in their wounds by letting them know? That was the only thing that would result if I failed in pretending to be the child. Who _would_ be willing to do that? And the other case scenario, if I succeeded in those lies... then they would've mistaken me for him. They would've just accepted it as a miracle, and thanked the Score that their child had survived. Everything they knew about their old child would've been erased by the lie that I would've brought.

Again, that familiar pit appeared in my stomach, driving me sick as I stared down at the ground, my face cold and clammy as I clenched my hand. I couldn't follow the sailor back. There's no way I could risk either of those things happening. And for what? Just because I wanted to join up with the rest of the survivors? Neither this kid nor his family deserved it.

"... You okay?" The Sailor's voice echoed out, snapping me from my thoughts. I stared up at the man again, only to find that he had not moved in the slightest, still squatted down beside me, his eyes level with my own. He must've sensed my apprehension, as he tried to give me another encouraging pat. Ruffled my hair, shaking away some of the loose dirt and grime. "Don't worry. I'm sure your family's fine. Let's go see, okay?"

No. No, it was _not_ okay. I needed a way out. I needed some sort of excuse. My eyes flickered back to my surroundings, turning away from the sailor as I settled my eyes back on the fallen axe-beak. Could I...?

"U-uhm," My voice broke the silence, nervous and filled with apprehension, equal parts faked and genuine as I turned back to the axe-beak, "I-I don't think I should. My mother t-told me not to follow strangers..." It was a flimsy excuse, but it was honestly the best I could at the moment. Nor was it outrageously unbelievable, unlike some of the other things I could've spouted out... And if I was perfectly honest? Well, I might've panicked just a bit.

"I... see." A slight frown appeared on the sailor's face the moment he heard my words, but he didn't seem to object too loudly to them. Instead, he gave out a heavy sigh, and all I heard were a few heavy footfalls behind me as he rose back up onto his feet. "Listen, your mother probably taught you that to keep you safe, but... since the fall of Hod, monsters have been getting a lot more active. It's just not safe here."

Even I knew that. However, just because I knew that didn't mean that I could afford to accept their help. Was I just being obstinate about it? Maybe, but whatever the case might've been, I couldn't accept it; I couldn't even bring myself to pretend. So, I simply remained silent.

"I know you might not trust me, so why don't I make you a deal, okay?" Every word he spoke only made me feel worse. He shouldn't have had to make so many compromises, try so hard, especially since I wasn't going to fold to any of them. And I knew that he was doing this because he had been genuinely worried, at least if his voice was any indication. But despite this, I could not-would not-respond to his pleas. It took all my willpower to keep my attention fixed forward, not sending the sailor a single look as I stared blankly at the fallen monster.

"Why don't you tell me your name?" But even that didn't deter him. "If I know that, then I'll return to the camp and find your folks. And your friends! Then, when I've found them, I'll send them over to come get you, and everything will be alright. So, how about it?"

... Despite my physical appearance, I wasn't a child. While his words might've given hope to a lost five-year-old, I could tell from his tone that he didn't completely believe in his words. I mean, it was clear how broken this coastal town was, and the chances of survival for _anyone at all_ was pretty low. What were the chances of finding a family and a group of friends completely intact?

Still, what did it say about the man that he was willing to lie to a child, just to convince the brat to not stay in monster-infested ruins? To give false hope, just to ensure that a life was kept? I don't know, but... I'm not sure if I could've done the same in his position.

Regardless, I recognized how hard it must've been for him, and I couldn't help but turn around, my eyes widening a bit as I stared up at him. The moment I showed the hint of a response, he seemed to relax visibly, his face growing just a bit brighter. I had no choice but to answer his questions now... Even if I didn't know the answer myself.

"Uhm... Ah..." I fumbled with the words, trying to buy time. I had no clue what name would fit a lost child, nor could I afford to casually throw something out. If I used one name, would I get confused for someone else? What would I change if that was the case? What if I used a name that was out-of-the-ordinary, or didn't make any phonetic sense? That would only cast more suspicion on me. My gaze fell downwards, slowly settling on my clothes as I tried to... to...

My clothes. They were fancy. More to the point, they had an embroidered symbol on them, as well as a few words scrawled beneath the emblem. I couldn't supply the sailor with my name, but I could still give him _a_ name. I gave a few more confused babbles, childish hesitation that wasn't quite words, as I began fumbling with my jacket. Unbutton, unhook, unstrap... It was surprisingly difficult, and the more I stumbled on the actions, the more childish I seemed, but I eventually managed to take the jacket off.

"What are you... Wait, that symbol... Lephis?" I blinked at the name. Lephis? Was that what those symbols said? That's... good to know, I guess. Still, the name was apparently important enough for the sailor to recognize. I gave a quick nod, not trusting myself to speak, and the man quickly turned back to the rest of his colleagues. "Hey, didn't that butler say that he worked under House Lephis? Someone find him! He'll probably know our little friend here!"

Welp. That backfired horribly. How was I supposed to worm my way out of _this_?

Apparently, Lephis was a noble house, or something close to it, and the kid was part of that family. How was I supposed to act out _that_? I mean, I barely knew anything about the kid's actual mannerisms, to say nothing about the customs or culture he must've been raised in. Not to mention the fact that they were going to bring over a servant. Honestly, a servant was the worst-case scenario; It was very likely that this butler-person's job was to know every little detail about the child that I had taken over. Everything that worried me about a metting with the parents applied here as well, only moreso since it was the man's actual job.

... There was no other way around it. I had to escape.

"Isn't that great?" The sailor turned back to me, practically beaming as all trace of his previous worries had faded away. "Just wait here, and we'll get it all sorted out. Okay?"

No, it wasn't okay. But I couldn't exactly say that, so I had no choice but to nod hesitantly, slowly shifting my gaze between him, the fallen monster, and the ruined building around us. Nothing provided me with a solution.

"Really, I'm not joking about this. Be a good boy and wait here; the area isn't safe yet, and we need to see if there are some other survivors. If you're not willing to come with us, then... please, at least stay out of sight, okay?" He pleaded with me, and my chest sank. Despite his pleas, there was no way I would be able to follow his request. I was forced to lie to him, simply nodding at his words, a part of me flinching when I saw his wide smile in return. "Good! It won't be too long. I'll leave one of my men here to keep you safe, though, in case more monsters return. And... take this, just to be safe."

I had no choice but to agree, both to instructions and his gift. The moment I acknowledged his words, the man handed me a glass bottle, a container that was filled to the brim with some sort of glimmering liquid. I wasn't too sure what it was, but I had seen things like it before, similar bottles that had been buried or broken inside that old warehouse from earlier. Before I could ask what it was, however, the sailor answered me.

"You're probably wondering what this is, aren't you?" A quick nod was all I could supply. He didn't seem to mind, however, and he took out another one, uncorking the top of the glass bottle as he poured out the contents onto himself. "It's a Holy Bottle. I'm sure you've heard of it, since kids your age love adventure stories, but travelers use it to keep monsters at bay. If you're going to be so stubborn and wait here on your own, then the least I can do is give you something like this."

I bit back a frown. Why did he keep helping me? Each gesture of goodwill only made me more uncomfortable... But not once did the man notice my unease. Instead, he gave me a hearty smile, ruffling my hair one last time as he tried to... cheer me up, I guess.

Then, he turned away to leave.

* * *

I didn't know what to do.

I had to escape, but at the same time, leaving now meant that I'd be consigning the guard person to failure. Worst than failure, since it would've meant that I, a child, had disappeared under his watch. I couldn't even begin to imagine how badly he'd feel as a result of that. But... would it be worse than what this child's family would feel, once they realized who I was?

Who knows? Either way, no matter what choice I made, someone would ultimately get hurt. The very fact that I was here would change someone's life forever, all because I had the audacity to live. And I had no choice but to live, because I had taken the kid's own chances at life.

... No, I couldn't fall back into that mental loop again. I already made a decision, so I had no choice but to stick with it. Looking at it that way, if my life was already accepted as a fact, then... that meant that hurting someone would also be an inescapable fact. That, in turn meant that it wasn't question of what I should do, but who should I hurt. I mean, ultimately, that's what it all boiled down to. Do I the single sailor? Or do I hurt the potentially-still-living family?

Or I could try to live a lie, and hope that I can maintain it for the rest of my life... I couldn't even begin to imagine how the family would've responded if I failed _that_.

There was no guarantees for any of them; maybe the family wouldn't suspect a thing. Maybe the sailor was emotionally stable enough to accept failure. Maybe monster attacks were just so common that, something as horrible as children dying to monsters was day-to-day life. And maybe something else happened entirely. However, all of these hypotheticals were useless to me; I had to make a decision. And since I had no information to fall back on, that mean I had to treat this as... a numbers game.

Even though I knew I couldn't view human emotions as a number's game, I was left with no choice but to see it as such. I had to weigh the impact of one man feeling regret, possibly for the rest of his life, against the pain I'd inflict on this child's family should they find out the true circumstances of his life and death. And unfortunately, the first one was lighter than the second one, even if it had potential to condemn an entire life.

Did... did that justification make sense? Maybe not, but the silent ruins around me offered me no other alternative. Was there some other solution I could've taken? Some other way I could've presented myself, or acted? Probably, but I couldn't think of one, and now I'm forced to live with my choice.

Carefully, I began to make my move, peeking from the ruined window as I spotted the guard outside. Fortunately for me, he was more focused on the ruined city around us than the building I was hidden inside, more intent on spotting monsters than fleeing five-year-olds. I retrieved my crossbow and still-bloodied spear-knife-thing, before making my way to the back of the building. There, I found another collapsed wall, one more victim of the tidal storm that had taken this city, and slipped out of the destroyed house without another thought.

The moment I stepped onto the road, a frown formed on my face. While my footsteps were light, they were weren't completely invisible, and I felt my feet partially sink into the mud as I stepped through the waterlogged roadway. It didn't take long for me to realize that they'd be able to track me through footsteps, and now that the skies were relatively clear, I couldn't rely on nature to mask my escape. Instead, I had to rely on subterfuge and stealth, two points that I had no experience whatsoever on. I had to learn. Unable to apply anything practical, I forced the basics into my mind, taking care to keep my sound and visual profile as low as possible. It was a bit easier for me, due to my size and weight, but it was still a taxing exercise.

At least I had something to help tip the scales. Pulling the Holy Bottle from my belt, I paused mid-stride, my attention falling on the glass container as I peered at the liquid contained within. It shimmered, and was bright in a way light was not. Except, it was also bright in that way as well. If that made sense.

I pushed that particular thought aside, quickly uncorking the bottle, feeling the warm tinge in the air well before I saw it proper. That familiar white light rose up from the glass, bleeding into the air, neither completely visible nor completely invisible as I gradually began to pour it on myself.

It tingled, and the air around me tingled as well, a gentle warmth that was almost soothing, especially when compared to everything else I had experienced today. Slowly, I fastened the neck of the now-empty bottle back around my belt, not willing to waste something as valuable as a glass container, as I slowly turned my attention back to the rest of the town.

My gaze fell to the alleyways.

They were probably my best bet in leaving the area undetected, even if they were partially wrecked. Broken buildings served as cover where they could, and provided me a vantage point to assess the situation whenever cover was sparse. So, I made use of the urban sprawl as I slipped further and further towards the edge of the town.

Not that I was sure _where_ I planned on going. At the moment, my only goal was simply to get away. Questions and doubts for the future lingered at the edge of my mind, and I pushed them aside each time they came up, focusing inste-

A violent cry echoed out from the road, as the sound of monster screeches and metallic impact filled the air. Following those sounds were another kind of noise, as the frenzied voices of people rose above the clanging and roars, alarmed yet focused as indistinct orders bellowed out.

It was clear that the sounds come from somewhere down the road, and while I had no idea what it was, I knew that it wasn't anything good. Without wasting any more moments, I quickly dove out of sight, hiding myself away under the cover of a fallen house as I approached the source of the sounds. It didn't take me long to find the source, the sight of a massive squaring off against... people of some kind. I couldn't get a clear view, and forced myself to wait for a better opportunity to present itself, keeping myself hidden among the rubble as I drew closer to the raging battle.

"Watch out!" A male voice rose up, the worried sound of his words quickly interrupted by a loud crash as the monster blocking my view charged out of the way, impacting head-first against a broken-down cart, shattering it instantly in a splinter of wood.

From the husk of a destroyed house, I stared out, my eyes falling on the now-visible sight of three sailors fighting together. There was a man and a woman at the front of their group, both carrying impressive harpoons as they faced off against their monstrous opponent. Behind them was a third man, a bit further back from the close-range combatants, carrying a staff of some kind as he shouted orders at his colleagues.

That explained one side of the conflict, and my eyes quickly shifted to the other side, only to flinch as I saw the oppressive opponent.

Directly in front of the two front-line fighters was a massive crab, nearly as tall as a grown man. And while that might've been impressive, its claws were in a different class altogether, the usual pincers replaced by a thick carapace that resembled forged weapons more than things found in nature. Each of its claws were massive, well over the size of a man's torso in width, covered in a thick shell of natural plating that ran along its entire form. And that ran a long ways, as the form of the claws matched that of a _greatsword_ , easily reaching over two meters in length as the monster snapped at the nearest sailor.

"Get out of the way! It's charging again!" The staff-wielder yelled out to his companions. The two harpoon fighters immediately nodded in response, hopping to either side of the crab as even as they saw the monster's feet kick off the ground.

The monster ignored their preparations, rushing forward to the male spear-user, swinging one arm in a cleaving arc as the force of its attack cleared the road of free-standing debris. It was hardly encouraging, knowing that this island had monsters as ridiculous as that giant crab, but the sailors didn't seem half as worried as I did.

"Good, keep it busy!" The staff wielder spoke, then brought down his staff, his hands gripping the wooden shaft as the air began to... to...

I recognized this. I saw-no, I _felt_ the change in the air. A charge began to build up, circling around the staff-wielder with an invisible force, a collection of sparks that arrayed itself in an elaborate pattern. I wasn't quite sure how I noticed the pattern, since there was no visible light or shape, but... I know _somehow_ that it was there. Then, I felt a rush of adrenaline, a burst of energy rising upwards as the magic-caster began to speak.

" _Oh raging wind._ " Two voices echoed out, the man's voice overlaid with a weave of echoing wind as the air seemed to vibrate at his words. I recognized the magic for what it was, and began committing the words to memory. With each word spoken, the air seemed to crackle, flowing directly into the man before rising out in a flood of renewed energy. " _Howl and gather before me..._ "

As his speech continued, the magic user's teammates changed their tactics, one hopping away from the crab monster while the other gave the creature an angry shout. The crab turned to the solitary spearwoman, slowly bringing its claws back in a very visible gesture as it charged forward again, its legs rushing along the muddied ground with surprising agility as it closed the distance. The spearwoman did not panic, her attention focused solely on the crab's reckless charge, lightning gathering around her spear as she waited for it to approach.

Approach it did, and as the crab brought its claws forwards and downwards, the woman jumped into the fray, closing the distance in a blinding flash as she drove the lightning-wreathed harpoon into the crab's joint. A loud hiss rose up as it staggered back, only to be met with a second attack as the spearman leapt in from... somewhere else. A flame-covered harpoon struck the crab next, knocking it into a daze as both fighters retreated.

" _and cleave mine enemies with your blades! **Turbulence!**_ "

Their retreat was marked by raging winds, that circular array shattering before reforming beneath the monster, a flurry of green and white winds encircling the crab. And just as the man had asked, the air began to howl, striking the crab with raw force in a visible blades of gleaming green, magical energy converging on the crab. The onslaught lasted for but a moment, each strike punctuated by a shrill cry from the crab, before exploding upwards in a burst of air. A low howl echoed from the creature as it was sent skywards, flying in an uneasy arc for a good few seconds before gravity could finally take hold again.

But gravity was absolute. The monster eventually began to fall once more, leaving a trail of blood and light, the air shimmering with a mysterious gleam as it returned to the ground. A loud crash signaled the crab's landing, and an angry roar signaled the crab's recovery, as the creature slowly rose to its feet once more. And once more, the sailors charged again, showing no signs of discouragement as they prepared another attack.

It was humbling, but... I couldn't afford to keep watching. I had wasted enough time as it was standing here, and while they had initially blocked my path, their battle had proceeded further down the road.

And while seeing their fight had been useful in some small way, it was still something that ultimately went over my head. Lightning and fire spears, wind magic... I had no clue how either of those things even worked, let alone how to execute them, and those weren't really techniques I could learn through observation. More than that, I had wasted time; who knows how long it'd be until that sailor returned with the butler? Leaving that fight behind me, I made my way further passed the city, drawing closer and closer to the outskirts.

* * *

I spotted no less than four more battles similar on the way out, each reminiscent of the first as sailors battled against the island's violent creatures.

There was no mistaking the monsters as they flooded into the town, the sailors' hands all but tied as they tried to contain the onslaught. Axe-Beaks, wolves, those crab monsters things... It was clear that the storm brought no shortage of monsters out of hiding, and each battle I spotted gave me a bit more insight to how the people of this world defended themselves.

Unfortunately, that insight did not translate into actual knowledge or applicable skills. I couldn't exactly write down any of the magic-sounding incantations, nor did I understand how they interacted with the magical particles for their activation. No matter how many times I heard those words, and no matter how many times I tried to parrot them, I never got anything more than a vague sensation of airy static.

Likewise, I was completely lost as to how the more physically-inclined fighters could use their weapons the way they did. It obviously involved something similar to magic, since there was no earth-based equivalent to setting your stick on fire with nothing more but willpower alone. But no matter how common the lightning-fueled stabs or wind-cleaving swings were, I simply couldn't understand how they worked. Not only that, but the sailors _only_ fought with staves and spears, which blunted my development with this broken spearhead... Not to mention my own lack of physique.

Still, the information wasn't completely useless. I learned more of how to use spears, which was a disposable hunting weapon in their own right. Likewise, I had learned through some experimentation and observation that the incantations weren't as untenable as I initially thought; It was clear that the activation for magic was based on something other than wording, as each of the magic users I observed all used some slight variation on their spell casting. Some omitted words, and others were a bit more verbose, but all produced a similar effect.

Similarly, my own experience with those air-tingles varied a bit, based on _how_ I spoke, rather than what. Not that that helped much, since I was still missing a very crucial part of the spellcasting puzzle, and I wasn't in a position to solve it. Coupled with the fact that, rather than prose, spell effects in the spell-users' incantations seemed to be based more on how they spoke, rather than what.

... Okay, so that observation might not have been completely helpful, but c'mon! It's not like I'm in a situation to properly observe these sorts of things, at least not in any meaningful way. Even with the effects of the holy bottle, I had found out that I wasn't completely invisible to the monsters, and there were more than a few times where I had to use my crossbow because a wolf had gotten the wrong idea. Fortunately, they were few and far in between, and none of those encounters escalated beyond the monsters growling in my general direction... But the point was, my entire journey still consisted of equal parts observation and hiding away in dilapidated buildings. All things considered, I should probably save the magical study for another time.

It was a good thing that "another time" was rapidly approaching fast. Despite those few close run-ins, I never came into a full-fledged fight with those monsters. There were a few times when they blocked the way, such as smaller packs of wolves or the occasional giant toad creature, but by and large, they were more interested in the noise made by the defending sailors than myself. This constant distraction, rather than any sort of skill in stealth, was how I ultimately made it back to where I had started.

After a few hours since leaving that sailor, I had managed to escape the city, and had made my way back to that little circular ditch that I had woken up in. I wasn't too sure why I had been drawn to that place, at least not initially...

But the moment I arrived at that ditch, I caught sight of something strange.

Something weird, foreign, and utterly nonsensical. Hovering a few meters away from that hole-in-the-ground was a glowing sphere of blue and white light, shimmering soundlessly in the air. And unlike most other things I had seen today, I recognized this particular oddity with absolute clarity.

It was a _save point_.


End file.
